A C T S.

CHAP. XXI.

We have, with a great deal of pleasure, attended
the apostle in his travels throughout the Gentile nations to preach
the gospel, and have seen a great harvest of souls gathered in to
Christ; there we have seen likewise what persecutions he endured;
yet still out of them all the Lord presently delivered him,
2 Tim. iii. 11. But now we
are to attend him to Jerusalem, and there into lasting bonds; the
days of his service now seem to be over, and nothing to remain but
days of suffering, days of darkness, for they are many. It is a
thousand pities that such a workman should be laid aside; yet so it
is, and we must not only acquiesce, as his friends then did,
saying, "The will of the Lord be done;" but we must believe, and
shall find reason to do so, that Paul in the prison, and at the
bar, is as truly glorifying God, and serving Christ's interest, as
Paul in the pulpit was. In this chapter we have, I. A journal of
Paul's voyage from Ephesus to Cæsarea, the next sea-port to
Jerusalem, some places he touched at, and his landing there,
ver. 1-7. II. The
struggles he had with his friends at Cæsarea, who mightily opposed
his going up to Jerusalem, but could not prevail, ver. 8-14. III. Paul's journey from
Cæsarea to Jerusalem, and the kind entertainment which the
Christians there gave him, ver.
15-17. IV. His compliance with the persuasions of the
brethren there, who advised him so far to compliment the Jews as to
go and purify that it might appear he was no such enemy to the
Mosaic rites and ceremonies as he was reported to be, ver. 18-26. V. The turning of this
very thing against him by the Jews, and the apprehending of him in
the temple as a criminal thereupon, ver. 27-30. VI. The narrow escape he had
of being pulled to pieces by the rabble, and the taking of him into
fair and legal custody by the chief captain, who permitted him to
speak for himself to the people, ver. 31-40. And so we have him made a
prisoner, and shall never have him otherwise to the end of the
history of this book.

Paul's Voyage to Cæsarea; Paul's Arrival at
Ptolemais.

1 And it came to pass, that after we were gotten
from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto
Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence
unto Patara: 2 And finding a ship sailing over unto
Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth. 3 Now when we had
discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into
Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her
burden. 4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven
days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up
to Jerusalem. 5 And when we had accomplished those days, we
departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with
wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we
kneeled down on the shore, and prayed. 6 And when we had
taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned
home again. 7 And when we had finished our course
from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and
abode with them one day.

We may observe here,

I. How much ado Paul had to get clear from
Ephesus, intimated in the first words of the chapter, after we
had gotten from them, that is, were drawn from them as by
violence. It was a force put upon both sides; Paul was loth to
leave them, and they were loth to part with him, and yet there was
no remedy, but so it must be. When good people are taken away by
death, they are, as it were, gotten from their friends here below,
who struggled hard to have detained them if possible.

II. What a prosperous voyage they had
thence. Without any difficulty, they came with a straight
course, by direct sailing, to Coos, a famous Grecian
island,—the next day to Rhodes, talked of for the Colossus
there,—thence to Patara, a famous port, the metropolis of
Lycia (v. 1); here
they very happily found a ship sailing over into Phenicia,
the very course they were steering, v. 2. Providence must be acknowledged
when things happen thus opportunely, and we are favoured by some
little circumstances that contribute to the expediting of our
affairs; and we must say, It is God that maketh our way
perfect. This ship that was bound for Phenicia (that is, Tyre)
they took the convenience of, went on board, and set sail
for Tyre. In this voyage they discovered Cyprus, the island
that Barnabas was of, and which he took care of, and therefore Paul
did not visit it, but we left it on the left hand (v. 3), sailed upon the
coast of Syria, and at length landed at Tyre, that
celebrated mart of the nations, so it had been, but was now
reduced; yet something of a trade it had still, for there the
ship was to unlade her burden, and did so.

III. The halt that Paul made at Tyre; when
he had arrived there, he was upon the coast of the land of Israel,
and found now that he could compass the remainder of his journey
within the time he had fixed.

1. At Tyre he found disciples, some
that had embraced the gospel, and professed the Christian faith.
Observe, Wherever Paul came, he enquired what disciples were there,
found them out, and associated with them; for we know what is the
usage with birds of a feather. When Christ was upon earth, though
he went sometimes into the coast of Tyre, yet he never went thither
to preach the gospel there; nor did he think fit to afford to Tyre
and Sidon the advantages which Chorazin and Bethsaida had, though
he knew that if they had had them they would have made a better
improvement of them, Luke x. 13,
14. But, after the enlarging of the gospel-commission,
Christ was preached at Tyre, and had disciples there; and to this,
some think, that prophecy concerning Tyre had reference (Isa. xxiii. 18), Her merchandise
and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord.

2. Paul, finding those disciples at
Tyre, tarried there seven days, they urging him to stay with
them as long as he could. He staid seven days at Troas (ch. xx. 6), and here so many
days at Tyre, that he might be sure to spend one Lord's day with
them, and so might have an opportunity of preaching publicly among
them; for it is the desire of good men to do good wherever they
come, and where we find disciples we may either benefit them or be
benefited by them.

3. The disciples at Tyre were endowed with
such gifts that they could by the Spirit foretel the troubles Paul
would meet with at Jerusalem; for the Holy Ghost witnessed it in
every city, ch. xx.
23. Being a thing that would be so much talked of when
it came to pass, God saw fit to have it much prophesied of before,
that people's faith, instead of being offended, might be confirmed.
And withal they were endowed with such graces that foreseeing his
troubles, out of love to him and concern for the church, especially
the churches of the Gentiles, that could ill spare him, they begged
of him that he would not go up to Jerusalem, for they hoped
the decree was conditional: If he go up, he will come into trouble
there; as the prediction to David that the men of Keilah will
deliver him up (that is, if he venture himself with
them); and therefore they said to him, by the Spirit, that
he should not go up, because they concluded it would be most
for the glory of God that he should continue at liberty; and it was
not at all their fault to think so, and consequently to dissuade
him; but it was their mistake, for his trial would be for the glory
of God and the furtherance of the gospel, and he knew it; and the
importunity that was used with him, to dissuade him from it,
renders his pious and truly heroic resolution the more
illustrious.

4. The disciples of Tyre, though they were
none of Paul's converts, yet showed a very great respect to Paul,
whose usefulness in the church they had heard so much of when he
departed from Tyre. Though they had had but seven days'
acquaintance with him, yet, as if he had been some great man, they
all came together, with their wives and children, solemnly
to take leave of him, to beg his blessing, and to bring him as far
on his way as the sea would permit them. Note, (1.) We should pay
respect, not only to our own ministers, that are over us in the
Lord, and admonish us, and, for their work's sake among us,
esteem them highly in love, but we must, as there is
occasion, testify our love and respect to all the faithful
ministers of Christ, both for his sake whose ministers they are,
and for their work's sake among others. (2.) We must, in a
particular manner, honour those whom God hath singularly honoured,
by making them eminently useful in their generation. (3.) It is
good to train up children in a respect to good people and good
ministers. This was particularly remarkable at Tyre, which we have
not met with any where else, that they brought their wives and
children to attend Paul, to do him the more honour and to receive
benefit by his instructions and prayers; and as angry notice was
taken of the children of the idolaters of Bethel, that mocked a
prophet, so, no doubt, gracious notice was taken of the children of
the disciples at Tyre, that honoured an apostle, as Christ accepted
the hosannas of the little children. (4.) We should be good
husbands of our opportunities, and make the utmost we can of them
for the good of our souls. They brought Paul on his way,
that they might have so much the more of his company and his
prayers. Some refer us to Ps. xlv.
12, as a prediction of this, The daughter of Tyre
shall be there with a gift; for it is probable that they made
some presents to Paul at parting, as usual to our friends that are
going to sea, ch. xxviii.
10.

5. They parted with prayer, as Paul and the
Ephesians elders had done, ch.
xx. 36. Thus Paul has taught us by example, as well as
rule, to pray always, to pray without ceasing. We kneeled down
on the shore and prayed. Paul prayed for himself, prayed for
them, prayed for all the churches; as he was much in prayer so he
was mighty in prayer. They prayed upon the shore, that their last
farewell might be sanctified and sweetened with prayer. Those that
are going to sea should, when they quit the shore, commit
themselves to God by prayer, and put themselves under his
protection, as those that hope, even when they leave the terra
firma, to find firm footing for their faith in the providence
and promise of God. They kneeled down on the shore, though we may
suppose it either stony or dirty, and there prayed. Paul would
that men should pray every where, and so he did himself;
and, where he lifted up his prayer, he bowed his knees. Mr. George
Herbert says, Kneeling never spoiled silk stockings.

6. They parted at last (v. 6): When we had taken our leave
one of another, with the most affectionate embraces and
expressions of love and grief, we took ship to be gone, and
they returned home again, each complaining that this is a
parting world. Observe how they disposed of themselves: "We, that
had a journey before us, took ship, thankful that we had a ship to
carry us; and those, who had no occasions to call them abroad
returned home again, thankful that they had a home to go to."
Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out, and Issachar in thy tents.
Paul left his blessing behind him with those that returned home,
and those that staid sent their prayers after those that went to
sea.

IV. Their arrival at Ptolemais, which was
not far from Tyre (v.
27): We came to Ptolemais, which some think is
the same place with Accho, which we find in the tribe of Asher,
Judg. i. 31. Paul begged
leave to go ashore there, to salute the brethren, to enquire
of their state, and to testify his good will to them; though he
could not stay long with them, yet he would not pass by them
without paying his respects to them, and he abode with them one
day, perhaps it was a Lord's day; better a short stay than no
visit.

The Prophecy of Agabus; Paul's Adherence to
His Resolution to Visit Jerusalem.

8 And the next day we that were of Paul's
company departed, and came unto Cæsarea: and we entered into the
house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven;
and abode with him. 9 And the same man had four daughters,
virgins, which did prophesy. 10 And as we tarried
there many days, there came down from Judæa a certain
prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come unto us, he
took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said,
Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the
man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the
hands of the Gentiles. 12 And when we heard these things,
both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to
Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and
to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also
to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 14 And
when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the
Lord be done.

We have here Paul and his company arrived
at length at Cæsarea, where he designed to make some stay, it being
the place where the gospel was first preached to the Gentiles, and
the Holy Ghost fell upon them, ch. x. 1, 44. Now here we are
told,

I. Who it was that entertained Paul and his
company at Cæsarea. He seldom had occasion to go to a public
house, but, wherever he came, some friend or other took him in, and
bade him welcome. Observe, those that had sailed together parted
when the voyage was accomplished, according as their business was.
"Those that were concerned in the cargo staid where the ship was
to unlade her burden (v.
3); others, when they came to Ptolemais, went as their
occasions led them; but we that were of Paul's company went where
he went, and came to Cæsarea." Those that travel together through
this world will separate at death, and then it will appear who are
of Paul's company and who are not. Now at Cæsarea.

1. They were entertained by Philip the
evangelist, whom we left at Cæsarea many years ago, after he had
baptized the eunuch (ch. viii.
40), and there we now find him again. (1.) He was
originally a deacon, one of the seven that were chosen to serve
tables, ch. vi. 5.
(2.) He was now and had long been an evangelist, one that went
about to plant and water churches, as the apostles did, and gave
himself, as they did, to the word and prayer; thus, having
used the office of a deacon well, he purchased to himself a good
degree; and, having been faithful in a few things, was made
ruler over many things. (3.) He had a house at Cæsarea, fit to
entertain Paul and all his company, and he bade him and them very
welcome to it; We entered into the house of Philip the
evangelist, and we abode with him. Thus does it become
Christians and ministers, according as their ability is, to use
hospitality one to another, without grudging, 1 Pet. iv. 9.

2. This Philip had four maiden
daughters, who did prophesy, v. 9. It intimates that they prophesied
of Paul's troubles at Jerusalem, as others had done, and dissuaded
him from going; or perhaps they prophesied for his comfort and
encouragement, in reference to the difficulties that were before
him. Here was a further accomplishment of that prophecy, Joel ii. 28, of such a plentiful
pouring out of the Spirit upon all flesh that their sons and
their daughters should prophesy, that is, foretel things to
come.

II. A plain and full prediction of the
sufferings of Paul, by a noted prophet, v. 10, 11. 1. Paul and his company
tarried many days at Cæsarea, perhaps Cornelius was yet living
there, and (though Philip lodged them) yet might be many ways kind
to them, and induce them to stay there. What cause Paul saw to
tarry so long there, and to make so little haste at the latter end
of his journey to Jerusalem, when he seemed so much in haste at the
beginning of it, we cannot tell; but we are sure he did not stay
either there or any where else to be idle; he measured his time by
days, and numbered them. 2. Agabus the prophet came to Cæsarea
from Judea; this was he of whom we read before, who came
from Jerusalem to Antioch, to foretel a general famine,
ch. xi. 27, 28.
See how God dispenseth his gifts variously. To Paul was given the
word of wisdom and knowledge, as an apostle, by the Spirit, and the
gifts of healing; to Agabus, and to Philip's daughters, was given
prophecy, by the same Spirit—the foretelling of things to come,
which came to pass according to the prediction. See 1 Cor. xii. 8, 10. So that that
which was the most eminent gift of the Spirit under the Old
Testament, the foretelling of things to come, was under the New
Testament quite outshone by other gifts, and was bestowed upon
those that were of less note in the church. It should seem as if
Agabus came on purpose to Cæsarea, to meet Paul with this prophetic
intelligence. 3. He foretold Paul's bonds at Jerusalem, (1.) By a
sign, as the prophets of old did, Isaiah (ch. xx. 3), Jeremiah (ch. xiii. 1; xxvii. 2),
Ezekiel (ch. iv. 1; xii.
3), and many others. Agabus took Paul's girdle,
when he laid it by, or perhaps took it from about him, and with it
bound first his own hands, and then his own feet, or
perhaps bound his hands and feet together; this was designed both
to confirm the prophecy (it was as sure to be done as if it were
done already) and to affect those about him with it, because that
which we see usually makes a greater impression upon us than that
which we only hear of. (2.) By an explication of the sign: Thus
saith the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of prophecy, So shall the
Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and, as
they dealt with his Master (Matt.
xx. 18, 19), shall deliver him into the hands of the
Gentiles, as the Jews in other places had all along endeavoured
to do, by accusing him to the Roman governors. Paul had this
express warning given him of his troubles, that he might prepare
for them, and that when they came they might be no surprise nor
terror to him; the general notice given us that through much
tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God should be of
the same use to us.

III. The great importunity which his
friends used with him to dissuade him from going forward to
Jerusalem, v. 12.
"Not only those of that place, but we that were of Paul's company,
and among the rest Luke himself, who had heard this often before,
and seen Paul's resolution notwithstanding, besought him with tears
that he would not go up to Jerusalem, but steer his course some
other way." Now, 1. Here appeared a commendable affection to Paul,
and a value for him, upon account of his great usefulness in the
church. Good men that are very active sometimes need to be
dissuaded from overworking themselves, and good men that are very
bold need to be dissuaded from exposing themselves too far. The
Lord is for the body, and so we must be. 2. Yet there was a
mixture of infirmity, especially in those of Paul's company, who
knew he undertook this journey by divine direction, and had seen
with what resolution he had before broken through the like
opposition. But we see in them the infirmity incident to us all;
when we see trouble at a distance, and have only a general notice
of it, we can make light of it; but when it comes near we begin to
shrink, and draw back. Now that it toucheth thee thou art
troubled, Job iv. 5.

IV. The holy bravery and intrepidity with
which Paul persisted in his resolution, v. 13.

1. He reproves them for dissuading him.
Here is a quarrel of love on both sides, and very sincere and
strong affections clashing with each other. They love him dearly,
and therefore oppose his resolution; he loves them dearly, and
therefore chides them for opposing it: What mean you to weep and
to break my heart? They were an offence to him, as Peter was to
Christ, when, in a like case, he said, Master, spare
thyself. Their weeping about him broke his heart. (1.)
It was a temptation to him, it shocked him, it began to weaken and
slacken his resolution, and caused him to entertain thoughts of
tacking about: "I know I am appointed to suffering, and you ought
to animate and encourage me, and to say that which will strengthen
my heart; but you, with your tears, break my heart, and discourage
me. What do you mean by doing thus? Has not our Master told us to
take up our cross? And would you have me to avoid mine?" (2.) It
was a trouble to him that they should so earnestly press him to
that in which he could not gratify them without wronging his
conscience. Paul was of a very tender spirit. As he was much in
tears himself, so he had a compassionate regard to the tears of his
friends; they made a great impression upon him, and would bring him
almost to yield to any thing. But now it breaks his heart, when he
is under a necessity of denying the request of his weeping friends.
It was an unkind kindness, a cruel pity, thus to torment him with
their dissuasions, and to add affliction to his grief. When our
friends are called out to sufferings, we shall show our love rather
by comforting them than by sorrowing for them. But observe, These
Christians at Cæsarea, if they could have foreseen the particulars
of that event, the general notice of which they received with so
much heaviness, would have been better reconciled to it for their
own sakes; for, when Paul was made a prisoner at Jerusalem, he was
presently sent to Cæsarea, the very place where he now was
(ch. xxiii. 33), and
there he continued at least two years (ch. xxiv. 27), and he was a prisoner
at large, as appears (ch. xxiv.
23), orders being given that he should have liberty to
go among his friends, and his friends to come to him; so that the
church at Cæsarea had much more of Paul's company and help when he
was imprisoned than they could have had if he had been at liberty.
That which we oppose, as thinking it to operate much against us,
may be overruled by the providence of God to work for us, which is
a reason why we should follow providence, and not fear it.

2. He repeats his resolution to go forward,
notwithstanding: "What mean you to weep thus? I am ready to
suffer whatever is appointed for me. I am fully determined to go,
whatever comes of it, and therefore it is to no purpose for you to
oppose it. I am willing to suffer, and therefore why are you
unwilling that I should suffer? Am not I nearest myself, and
fittest to judge for myself? If the trouble found me unready, it
would be a trouble indeed, and you might well weep at the thoughts
of it. But, blessed be God, it does not. It is very welcome to me,
and therefore should not be such a terror to you. For my part, I
am ready," etoimos echo—I have myself in a
readiness, as soldiers for an engagement. "I expect trouble, I
count upon it, it will be no surprise to me. I was told at first
what great things I must suffer," ch. ix. 16. "I am prepared for
it, by a clear conscience, a firm confidence in God, a holy
contempt of the world and the body, a lively faith in Christ, and a
joyful hope of eternal life. I can bid it welcome, as we do
a friend that we look for, and have made preparation for. I can,
through grace, not only bear it, but rejoice in it." Now, (1.) See
how far his resolution extends: You are told that I must be bound
at Jerusalem, and you would have me keep away for fear of this. I
tell you, "I am ready not only to be bound, but, if the will
of God be so, to die at Jerusalem; not only to lose my
liberty, but to lose my life." It is our wisdom to think of the
worst that may befal us, and to prepare accordingly, that we may
stand complete in all the will of God. (2.) See what it is
that carries him out thus, that makes him willing to suffer and
die: it is for the name of the Lord Jesus. All that a man
has will he give for his life; but life itself will Paul give for
the service and honour of the name of Christ.

V. The patient acquiescence of his friends
in his resolution, v.
14. 1. They submitted to the wisdom of a good man. They
had carried the matter as far as they could with decency; but,
"when he would not be persuaded, we ceased our importunity.
Paul knows best his own mind, and what he has to do, and it becomes
us to leave it to himself, and not to censure him for what he does,
nor to say he is rash, and wilful, and humoursome, and has a spirit
of contradiction, as some people are apt to judge of those that
will not do just as they would have them do. No doubt, Paul has a
good reason for his resolution, though he sees cause to keep it to
himself, and God has gracious ends to serve in confirming him in
it." It is good manners not to over-press those in their own
affairs that will not be persuaded. 2. They submitted to the will
of a good God: We ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be
done. They did not resolve his resolution into his
stubbornness, but into his willingness to suffer, and God's will
that he should. Father in heaven, thy will be done, as it is
a rule to our prayers and to our practice, so it is to our
patience. This may refer, (1.) To Paul's present firmness; he is
inflexible, and unpersuadable, and in this they see the will of the
Lord done. "It is he that has wrought this fixed resolution in him,
and therefore we acquiesce in it." Note, In the turning of the
hearts of our friends or ministers, this way or that way (and it
may be quite another way than we could wish), we should eye the
hand of God, and submit to that. (2.) To his approaching
sufferings: "If there be no remedy, but Paul will run himself into
bonds, the will of the Lord Jesus be done. We have done all that we
could do on our parts to prevent it, and now we leave it to God, we
leave it to Christ, to whom the Father has committed all judgment,
and therefore we do, not as we will, but as he will." Note, When we
see trouble coming, and particularly that of our ministers' being
silenced or removed from us, it becomes us to say, The will of
the Lord be done. God is wise, and knows how to make all work
for good, and therefore "welcome his holy will." Not only, "The
will of the Lord must be done, and there is no remedy;" but, "Let
the will of the Lord be done, for his will is his wisdom, and he
doeth all according to the counsel of it; let him therefore do with
us and ours as seemeth good in his eyes." When a trouble is come,
this must allay our griefs, that the will of the Lord is done; when
we see it coming, this must silence our fears, that the will of the
Lord shall be done, to which we must say, Amen, let it be
done.

Paul's Visit to Jerusalem; Paul's Conformity
to the Jewish Law.

15 And after those days we took up our
carriages, and went up to Jerusalem. 16 There went with us
also certain of the disciples of Cæsarea, and brought with
them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should
lodge. 17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren
received us gladly. 18 And the day following Paul
went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what
things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said
unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are
which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: 21 And
they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which
are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not
to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the
customs. 22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs
come together: for they will hear that thou art come. 23 Do
therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a
vow on them; 24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and
be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads:
and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed
concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also
walkest orderly, and keepest the law. 25 As touching the
Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that
they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves
from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from
strangled, and from fornication. 26 Then Paul took the men,
and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the
temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification,
until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

In these verses we have,

I. Paul's journey to Jerusalem from
Cæsarea, and the company that went along with him. 1. They took
up their carriages, their bag and baggage, and as it should
seem, like poor travellers or soldiers, were their own porters; so
little had they of change of raiment. Omnia mea mecum porto—My
property is all about me. Some think they had with them the
money that was collected in the churches of Macedonia and Achaia
for the poor saints at Jerusalem. If they could have persuaded Paul
to go some other way, they would gladly have gone along with him;
but if, notwithstanding their dissuasive, he will go to Jerusalem,
they do no say, "Let him go by himself then;" but as Thomas, in a
like case, when Christ would go into danger at Jerusalem, Let us
go and die with him, John xi.
16. Their resolution to cleave to Paul was like that of
Ittai to cleave to David (2 Sam. xv.
21): In what place my Lord the king shall be, whether
in death or life, there also will thy servant be. Thus Paul's
boldness emboldened them. 2. Certain of the disciples of Cæsarea
went along with them. Whether they designed to go however, and took
this opportunity of going with so much good company, or whether
they went on purpose to see if they could do Paul any service and
if possible prevent his trouble, or at least minister to him in it,
does not appear. The less while that Paul is likely to enjoy his
liberty the more industrious they are to improve every opportunity
of conversation with him. Elisha kept close to Elijah when he knew
the time was at hand that he should be taken up. 3. They brought
with them an honest old gentleman that had a house of his own at
Jerusalem, in which he would gladly entertain Paul and his company,
one Mnason of Cyprus (v.
16), with whom we should lodge. Such a great
concourse of people there was to the feast that it was a hard
matter to get lodgings; the public houses would be taken up by
those of the better sort, and it was looked upon as a scandalous
thing for those that had private houses to let their rooms out at
those times, but they must freely accommodate strangers with them.
Every one then would choose his friends to be his guests, and
Mnason took Paul and his company to be his lodgers; though he had
heard what trouble Paul was likely to come into, which might bring
those that entertained him into trouble too, yet he shall be
welcome to him, whatever comes of it. This Mnason is called an
old disciple—a disciple from the beginning; some
think, one of the seventy disciples of Christ, or one of the first
converts after the pouring out of the Spirit, or one of the first
that was converted by the preaching of the gospel in Cyprus,
ch. xiii. 4. However
it was, it seems he had been long a Christian, and was now in
years. Note, It is an honourable thing to be an old disciple of
Jesus Christ, to have been enabled by the grace of God to continue
long in a course of duty, stedfast in the faith, and growing more
and more prudent and experienced to a good old age. And with these
old disciples one would choose to lodge; for the multitude of their
years will teach wisdom.

II. Paul's welcome at Jerusalem. 1. Many of
the brethren there received him gladly, v. 17. As soon as they had notice that
he was come to town, they went to his lodgings at Mnason's house,
and congratulated him on his safe arrival, and told him they were
glad to see him, and invited him to their houses, accounting it an
honour to be known to one that was such an eminent servant of
Christ. Streso observes that the word here used concerning the
welcome they gave to the apostles, asmenos
apodechein, is used concerning the welcome of the apostles'
doctrine, ch. ii. 41.
They gladly received his word. We think if we had Paul among
us we should gladly receive him; but it is a question whether we
should or no it, having his doctrine, we do not gladly receive
that. 2. They paid a visit to James and the elders of the church,
at a church-meeting (v.
18): "The day following, Paul went unto James,
and took us with him, that were his companions, to introduce us
into acquaintance with the church at Jerusalem." It should seem
that James was now the only apostle that was resident at Jerusalem;
the rest had dispersed themselves to preach the gospel in other
places. But still they forecasted to have an apostle at Jerusalem,
perhaps sometimes one and sometimes another, because there was a
great resort thither from all parts. James was now upon the spot,
and all the elders or presbyters that were the ordinary pastors of
the church, both to preach and govern, were present. Paul saluted
them all, paid his respects to them, enquired concerning their
welfare, and gave them the right hand of fellowship. He saluted
them, that is, he wished them all health and happiness, and
prayed to God to bless them. The proper signification of salutation
is, wishing salvation to you: salve, or salus tibi
sit; like peace be unto you. And such mutual
salutations, or good wishes, very well become Christians, in token
of their love to each other and joint regard to God.

III. The account they had from him of his
ministry among the Gentiles, and their satisfaction in it. 1. He
gave them a narrative of the success of the gospel in those
countries where he had been employed, knowing it would be very
acceptable to them to hear of the enlarging of Christ's kingdom:
He declared particularly what things God had wrought among the
Gentiles by his ministry, v. 19. Observe how modestly he speaks,
not what things he had wrought (he was but the instrument), but
what God had wrought by his ministry. It was not I, but the
grace of God which was with me. He planted and watered, but God
gave the increase. He declared it particularly, that the grace of
God might appear the more illustrious in the circumstances of his
success. Thus David will tell others what God has done for his soul
(Ps. lxvi. 16), as Paul
here what God has done by his hand, and both that their friends may
help them to be thankful. 2. Hence they took occasion to give
praise to God (v.
20): When they heart it, they glorified the Lord.
Paul ascribed it all to God, and to God they gave the praise of it.
They did not break out into high encomiums of Paul, but left it to
his Master to say to him, Well done, good and faithful
servant; but they gave glory to the grace of God, which was
extended to the Gentiles. Note, The conversion of sinners ought to
be the matter of our joy and praise as it is of the angels'. God
had honoured Paul more than any of them, in making his usefulness
more extensive, yet they did not envy him, nor were they jealous of
his growing reputation, but, on the contrary, glorified the
Lord. And they could not do more to encourage Paul to go on
cheerfully in his work than to glorify God for his success in it;
for, if God be praised, Paul is pleased.

IV. The request of James and the elders of
the church at Jerusalem to Paul, or their advice rather, that he
would gratify the believing Jews by showing some compliance with
the ceremonial law, and appearing publicly in the temple to offer
sacrifice, which was not a thing in itself sinful; for the
ceremonial law, though it was by no means to be imposed upon the
Gentile converts (as the false teachers would have it, and thereby
endeavoured to subvert the gospel), yet it was not become unlawful
as yet to those that had been bred up in the observance of it, but
were far from expecting justification by it. It was dead, but not
buried; dead, but not yet deadly. And, being not sinful, they
thought it was a piece of prudence in Paul to conform thus far.
Observe the counsel they give to Paul herein, not as having
authority over him, but an affection for him.

1. They desired him to take notice of the
great numbers there were of the Jewish converts: Thou seest,
brother, how many thousands of the Jews there are who believe.
They called him brother, for they looked upon him as a
joint-commissioner with them in gospel-work. Though they were of
the circumcision and he the apostle of the Gentiles, though they
were conformists and he a nonconformist, yet they were brethren,
and owned the relation. Thou hast been in some of our assemblies,
and seest how numerous they are: how many myriads of Jews
believe. The word signifies, not thousands, but ten
thousands. Even among the Jews, who were most prejudiced
against the gospel, yet there were great multitudes that received
it; for the grace of God can break down the strongest holds of
Satan. The number of the names at first was but one hundred and
twenty, yet now many thousands. Let none therefore despise the day
of small things; for, though the beginning be small, God can make
the latter end greatly to increase. Hereby it appeared that God had
not quite cast away his people the Jews, for among them there was a
remnant, an election, that obtained (see Rom. xi. 1, 5, 7): many thousands that
believed. And this account which they could give to Paul of the
success of the gospel among the Jews was, no doubt, as grateful to
Paul as the account which he gave them of the conversion of the
Gentiles was to them; for his heart's desire and prayer to God for
the Jews was that they might be saved.

2. They informed him of a prevailing
infirmity these believing Jews laboured under, of which they could
not yet be cured: They are all zealous of the law. They
believe in Christ as the true Messiah, they rest upon his
righteousness and submit to his government; but they know the law
of Moses was of God, they have found spiritual benefit in their
attendance on the institutions of it, and therefore they can by no
means think of parting with it, no, nor of growing cold to it. And
perhaps they urged Christ's being made under the law, and
observing it (which was designed to be our deliverance from the
law), as a reason for their continuance under it. This was a great
weakness and mistake, to be so fond of the shadows when the
substance was come, to keep their necks under a yoke of bondage
when Christ had come to make them free. But see, (1.) The power of
education and long usage, and especially of a ceremonial law. (2.)
The charitable allowance that must be made in consideration of
these. These Jews that believed were not therefore disowned and
rejected as no Christians because they were for the law, nay, were
zealous for it, while it was only in their own practice, and they
did not impose it upon others. Their being zealous of the law was
capable of a good construction, which charity would put upon it;
and it was capable of a good excuse, considering what they were
brought up in, and among whom they lived.

3. They gave him to understand that these
Jews, who were so zealous of the law, were ill-affected to him,
v. 21. Paul himself,
though as faithful a servant as any Christ ever had, yet could not
get the good word of all that belonged to Christ's family: "They
are informed of thee (and form their opinion of thee
accordingly) that thou not only dost not teach the Gentiles to
observe the law, as some would have had thee (we have prevailed
with them to drop that), but dost teach all the Jews who are
dispersed among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, not to circumcise
their children nor to walk after the customs of our nation,
which were of divine appointment, so far as they might be observed
even among the Gentiles, at a distance from the temple,—not to
observe the fasts and feasts of the church, not to wear their
phylacteries, nor abstain from unclean meats." Now, (1.) It was
true that Paul preached the abrogation of the law of Moses, taught
them that it was impossible to be justified by it, and therefore we
are not bound up any longer to the observance of it. But, (2.) It
was false that he taught them to forsake Moses; for the religion he
preached tended not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. He
preached Christ (the end of the law for righteousness), and
repentance and faith, in the exercise of which we are to make great
use of the law. The Jews among the Gentiles whom Paul taught were
so far from forsaking Moses that they never understood him better,
nor ever embraced him so heartily as now when they were taught to
make use of him as a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ.
But even the believing Jews, having got this notion of Paul, that
he was an enemy to Moses, and perhaps giving too much regard to the
unbelieving Jews too, were much exasperated against him. Their
ministers, the elders here present, loved and honoured him, and
approved of what he did, and called him brother, but the people
could hardly be induced to entertain a favourable thought of him;
for it is certain the least judicious are the most censorious, the
weak-headed are the hot-headed. They could not distinguish upon
Paul's doctrine as they ought to have done, and therefore condemned
it in the gross, through ignorance.

4. They therefore desired Paul that he
would by some public act, now that he had come to Jerusalem, make
it to appear that the charge against him was false, and that he did
not teach people to forsake Moses and to break the customs of the
Jewish church, for he himself retained the use of them.

(1.) They conclude that something of this
kind must be done: "What is it therefore? What must be done?
The multitude will hear that thou art come to town." This is
an inconvenience that attends men of fame, that their coming and
going are taken notice of more than other people's, and will be
talked of, by some for good-will and by others for ill-will. "When
they hear thou art come, they must needs come together, they
will expect that we call them together, to advise with them whether
we should admit thee to preach among us as a brother or no; or,
they will come together of themselves expecting to hear thee." Now
something must be done to satisfy them that Paul does not teach the
people to forsake Moses, and they think it necessary, [1.] For
Paul's sake, that his reputation should be cleared, and that so
good a man may not lie under any blemish, nor so useful a man
labour under any disadvantage which may obstruct his usefulness.
[2.] For the people's sake, that they may not continue prejudiced
against so good a man, nor lose the benefit of his ministry by
those prejudices. [3.] For their own sake, that since they knew it
was their duty to own Paul their doing it might not be turned to
their reproach among those that were under their charge.

(2.) They produce a fair opportunity which
Paul might take to clear himself: "Do this that we say unto
thee, take our advice in this case. We have four men,
Jews who believe, of our own churches, and they have a vow on
them, a vow of Nazariteship for a certain time; their time has
now expired (v. 23),
and they are to offer their offering according to the law, when
they shave the head of their separation, a he-lamb for a
burnt-offering, a ewe-lamb for a sin-offering, and a ram for a
peace-offering, with other offerings pertinent to them, Num. vi. 13-20. Many used to do
this together, when their vow expired about the same time, either
for the greater expedition or for the greater solemnity. Now Paul
having so far of late complied with the law as to take upon him the
vow of a Nazarite, and to signify the expiration of it by shaving
his head at Cenchrea (ch.
xviii. 18), according to the custom of those who lived
at a distance from the temple, they desire him but to go a little
further, and to join with these four in offering the sacrifices of
a Nazarite: 'Purify thyself with them according to the law;
and be willing not only to take that trouble, but to be at charges
with them, in buying sacrifices for this solemn occasion, and to
join with them in the sacrifice." This, they think, will
effectually stop the mouth of calumny, and every one will be
convinced that the report was false, that Paul was not the man he
was represented to be, did not teach the Jews to forsake Moses, but
that he himself, being originally a Jew, walked orderly, and kept
the law; and then all would be well.

5. They enter a protestation that this
shall be no infringement at all of the decree lately made in favour
of the Gentile converts, nor do they intend by this in the least to
derogate from the liberty allowed them (v. 25): "As touching the
Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded, and
resolve to abide by it, that they observe no such things; we
would not have them to be bound up by the ceremonial law by any
means, but only that they keep themselves from things offered to
idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from
fornication; but let not them be tied to the Jewish sacrifices
or purifications, nor any of their rites and ceremonies." They knew
how jealous Paul was for the preservation of the liberty of the
converted Gentiles, and therefore expressly covenant to abide by
that. Thus far is their proposal.

V. Here is Paul's compliance with it. He
was willing to gratify them in this matter. Though he would not be
persuaded not to go to Jerusalem, yet, when he was there, he was
persuaded to do as they there did, v. 26. Then Paul took the men,
as they advised, and the very next day, purifying himself with
them, and not with multitude nor tumult, as he himself
pleads (ch. xxiv.
18), he entered into the temple, as other devout
Jews that came upon such errands did, to signify the accomplishment
of the days of purification to the priests; desiring the priest
would appoint a time when the offering should be offered for every
one of them, one for each. Ainsworth, on Num. vi. 18, quotes out of Maimonides a
passage which gives some light to this: If a man say, Upon me
behalf the oblations of a Nazarite, or, Upon me be half the
shaving of a Nazarite, them he brings half the offerings by what
Nazarite he will, and that Nazarite pays his offering out of that
which is his. So Paul did here; he contributed what he vowed to
the offerings of these Nazarites, and some think bound himself to
the law of Nazariteship, and to an attendance at the temple with
fastings and prayers for seven days, not designing that the
offering should be offered till them, which was what he signified
to the priest. Now it has been questioned whether James and the
elders did well to give Paul this advice, and whether he did well
to take it. 1. Some have blamed this occasional conformity of
Paul's, as indulging the Jews too much in their adherence to the
ceremonial law, and a discouragement of those who stood fast in the
liberty wherewith Christ had made them free. Was it not enough for
James and the elders of Jerusalem to connive at this mistake in the
Jewish converts themselves, but must they wheedle Paul to
countenance them in it? Had it not been better, when they had told
Paul how zealous the believing Jews were for the law, if they had
desired, whom God had endued with such excellent gifts, to take
pains with their people to convince them of their error, and to
show them that they were made free from the law by their marriage
to Christ? Rom. vii. 4. To
urge him to encourage them in it by his example seems to have more
in it of fleshly wisdom than of the grace of God. Surely Paul knew
what he had to do better than they could teach him. But, 2. Others
think the advice was prudent and good, and Paul's following it was
justifiable enough, as the case stood. It was Paul's avowed
principle, To the Jews became I as a Jew, that I might gain the
Jews, 1 Cor. ix. 20. He
had circumcised Timothy, to please the Jews; though he would not
constantly observe the ceremonial law, yet, to gain an opportunity
of doing good, and to show how far he could comply, he would
occasionally go to the temple and join in the sacrifices there.
Those that are weak in the faith are to be borne with, when those
that undermine the faith must be opposed. It is true, this
compliance of Paul's sped ill to him, for this very thing by which
he hoped to pacify the Jews did but provoke them, and bring him
into trouble; yet this is not a sufficient ground to go upon in
condemning it: Paul might do well, and yet suffer for it. But
perhaps the wise God overruled both their advice and Paul's
compliance with it to serve a better purpose than was intended; for
we have reason to think that when the believing Jews, who had
endeavoured by their zeal for the law to recommend themselves to
the good opinion of those who believed not, saw how barbarously
they used Paul (who endeavoured to oblige them), they were by this
more alienated from the ceremonial law than they could have been by
the most argumentative or affecting discourses. They saw it was in
vain to think of pleasing men that would be pleased with nothing
else but the rooting out of Christianity. Integrity and uprightness
will be more likely to preserve us than sneaking compliances. And
when we consider what a great trouble it must needs be to James and
the presbyters, in the reflection upon it, that they had by their
advice brought Paul into trouble, it should be a warning to us not
to press men to oblige us by doing any thing contrary to their own
mind.

Paul Seized in the Temple; The Tumult at
Jerusalem.

27 And when the seven days were almost ended,
the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple,
stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, 28 Crying
out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all
men every where against the people, and the law, and this
place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath
polluted this holy place. 29 (For they had seen before with
him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul
had brought into the temple.) 30 And all the city was moved,
and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out
of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. 31 And as
they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of
the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 Who
immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them:
and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left
beating of Paul. 33 Then the chief captain came near, and
took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and
demanded who he was, and what he had done. 34 And some cried
one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not
know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried
into the castle. 35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it
was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the
people. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after,
crying, Away with him. 37 And as Paul was to be led into the
castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who
said, Canst thou speak Greek? 38 Art not thou that Egyptian,
which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the
wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? 39 But
Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a
city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech
thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. 40 And when he had
given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the
hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he
spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

We have here Paul brought into a captivity
which we are not likely to see the end of; for after this he is
either hurried from one bar to another, or lies neglected, first in
one prison and then in another, and can neither be tried nor
bailed. When we see the beginning of a trouble, we know not either
how long it will last or how it will issue.

I. We have here Paul seized, and laid hold
on.

1. He was seized in the temple, when he was
there attending the days of his purifying, and the solemn services
of those days, v.
27. Formerly he had been well known in the temple, but
now he had been so long in his travels abroad that he had become a
stranger there; so that it was not till the seven days were
almost ended that he was taken notice of by those that had an
evil eye towards him. In the temple, where he should have been
protected, as in a sanctuary, he was most violently set upon by
those who did what they could to have his blood mingled with his
sacrifices—in the temple, where he should have been welcomed as
one of the greatest ornaments of it that ever had been there since
the Lord of the temple left it. The temple, which they themselves
pretended such a mighty zeal for, yet did they themselves thus
profane. Thus is the church polluted by none more than by popish
persecutors, under the colour of the church's name and
interest.

2. The informers against him were the Jews
of Asia, not those of Jerusalem—the Jews of the dispersion, who
knew him best, and who were most exasperated against him. Those who
seldom came up to worship at the temple in Jerusalem themselves,
but contentedly lived at a distance from it, in pursuit of their
private advantages, yet appeared most zealous for the temple, as if
thereby they would atone for their habitual neglect of it.

3. The method they took was to raise the
mob, and to incense them against him. They did not go to the high
priest, or the magistrates of the city, with their charge (probably
because they expected not to receive countenance from them), but
they stirred up all the people, who were at this time more
than ever disposed to any thing that was tumultuous and seditious,
riotous and outrageous. Those are fittest to be employed against
Christ and Christianity that are governed least by reason and most
by passion; therefore Paul described the Jewish persecutors to be
not only wicked, but absurd unreasonable men.

4. The arguments wherewith they exasperated
the people against him were popular, but very false and unjust.
They cried out, "Men of Israel, help. If you are indeed men
of Israel, true-born Jews, that have a concern for your church and
your country, now is your time to show it, by helping to seize an
enemy to both." Thus they cried after him as after a thief
(Job xxx. 5), or after a
mad dog. Note, The enemies of Christianity, since they could never
prove it to be an ill thing, have been always very industrious,
right or wrong, to put it into an ill name, and so run it down by
outrage and outcry. It had become men of Israel to help Paul, who
preached up him who was so much the glory of his people
Israel; yet here the popular fury will not allow them to be men
of Israel, unless they will help against him. This was like,
Stop thief, or Athaliah's cry, Treason, treason; what
is wanting in right is made up in noise.

5. They charge upon him both bad doctrine
and bad practice, and both against the Mosaic ritual.

(1.) They charge upon him bad doctrine; not
only that he holds corrupt opinions himself, but that he vents and
publishes them, though not here at Jerusalem, yet in other places,
nay in all places, he teaches all men, every where; so artfully is
the crime aggravated, as if, because he was an itinerant, he was a
ubiquitary: "He spreads to the utmost of his power certain damnable
and heretical positions," [1.] Against the people of the Jews. He
had taught that Jews and Gentiles stand on the same level before
God, and neither circumcision avails any thing nor
uncircumcision; nay, he had taught against the unbelieving Jews
that they were rejected (and therefore had separated from them and
their synagogues), and this is interpreted to be speaking against
the whole nation, as if no doubt but they were the people, and
wisdom must die with them (Job
xii. 2), whereas God, though he had cast them off, yet
had not cast away his people, Rom. xi. 1. They were Lo-ammi, not a
people (Hos. i. 9), and
yet pretended to be the only people. Those commonly seem most
jealous for the church's name that belong to it in name only. [2.]
Against the law. His teaching men to believe the gospel as the end
of the law, and the perfection of it, was interpreted his preaching
against the law; whereas it was so far from making void the law
that it established it, Rom. iii.
31. [3.] Against this place, the temple. Because
he taught men to pray every where, he was reproached as an enemy to
the temple, and perhaps because he sometimes mentioned the
destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and of the Jewish nation,
which his Master had foretold. Paul had himself been active in
persecuting Stephen, and putting him to death for words spoken
against this holy place, and now the same thing is laid to
his charge. He that was then made use of as the tool is now set up
as the butt of Jewish rage and malice.

(2.) They charge upon him bad practices. To
confirm their charge against him, as teaching people against this
holy place, they charge it upon him that he had himself polluted
it, and by an overt-act showed his contempt of it, and a design to
make it common. He has brought Gentiles also into the
temple, into the inner court of the temple, which none that
were uncircumcised were admitted, under any pretence, to come into;
there was written upon the wall that enclosed this inner court, in
Greek and Latin, It is a capital crime for strangers to
enter.—Josephus Antiq. 15. 417. Paul was himself a Jew,
and had right to enter into the court of the Jews. And they, seeing
some with him there that joined with him in his devotions,
concluded that Trophimus an Ephesian, who was a Gentile, was one of
them. Why? Did they see him there? Truly no; but they had seen him
with Paul in the streets of the city, which was no crime at all,
and therefore they affirm that he was with Paul in the inner court
of the temple, which was a heinous crime. They had seen him with
him in the city, and therefore they supposed that Paul had brought
him with him into the temple, which was utterly false. See here,
[1.] Innocency is no fence against calumny and false accusation. It
is no new thing for those that mean honestly, and act regularly, to
have things laid to their charge which they know not, nor ever
thought of. [2.] Evil men dig up mischief, and go far to
seek proofs of their false accusations, as they did here, who,
because they saw a Gentile with Paul in the city, will thence infer
that he was with him in the temple. This was a strained innuendo
indeed, yet by such unjust and groundless suggestions have wicked
men thought to justify themselves in the most barbarous outrages
committed upon the excellent ones of the earth. [3.] It is
common for malicious people to improve that against those that are
wise and good with which they thought to have obliged them and
ingratiated themselves with them. Paul thought to recommend himself
to their good opinion by going into the temple, he had not been so
maligned by them. This is the genius of ill-nature; for my love,
they are my adversaries, Ps. cix. 4; lxix. 10.

We have Paul in danger of being pulled in
pieces by the rabble. They will not be at the pains to have him
before the high priest, or the sanhedrim; that is a roundabout way:
the execution shall be of a piece with the prosecution, all unjust
and irregular. They cannot prove the crime upon him, and therefore
dare not bring him upon a fair trial; nay, so greedily do they
thirst after his blood that they have not patience to proceed
against him by a due course of law, though they were ever so sure
to gain their point; and therefore, as those who neither feared God
nor regarded man, they resolved to knock him on the head
immediately.

1. All the city was in an uproar, v. 30. The people, who though
they had little holiness themselves, yet had a mighty veneration
for the holy place, when they heard a hue-and-cry from the temple,
were up in arms presently, being resolved to stand by that with
their lives and fortunes. All the city was moved, when they
were called to from the temple, Men of Israel, help, with as
much violence as if the old complaint were revived (Ps. lxxix. 1), O God, the heathen
are come into thine inheritance, thy holy temple have they
defiled. Just such a zeal the Jews here show for God's temple
as the Ephesians did for Diana's temple, when Paul was informed
against as an enemy to that (ch. xix. 29): The whole city was
full of confusion. But God does not reckon himself at all
honoured by those whose zeal for him transports them to such
irregularities, and who, while they pretend to act for him, act in
such a brutish barbarous manner.

2. They drew Paul out of the temple, and
shut the doors between the outer and inner court of the temple, or
perhaps the doors of the outer court. In dragging him furiously out
of the temple, (1.) They showed a real detestation of him as one
not fit to be suffered in the temple, nor to worship there, nor to
be looked upon as a member of the Jewish nation; as if his
sacrifice had been an abomination. (2.) They pretended a veneration
for the temple; like that of good Jehoiada, who would not have
Athaliah to be slain in the house of the Lord, 2 Kings xi. 15. See how absurd these
wicked men were; they condemned Paul for drawing people from the
temple, and yet, when he himself was very devoutly worshipping in
the temple, they drew him out of it. The officers of the temple
shut the doors, either, [1.] Lest Paul should find means to get
back and take hold of the horns of the altar, and so protect
himself by that sanctuary from their rage. Or rather, [2.] Lest the
crowd should by the running in of more to them be thrust back into
the temple, and some outrage should be committed, to the
profanation of that holy place. Those that made no conscience of
doing so ill a thing as the murdering of a good man for well-doing,
yet would be thought to scruple doing it in a holy place, or at a
holy time: Not in the temple, as Not on the feast-day.

3. They went about to kill him (v. 31), for they fell a
beating him (v. 32),
resolving to beat him to death by blows without number, a
punishment which the Jewish doctors allowed in some cases (not at
all to the credit of their nation), and called the beating of
the rebels. Now was Paul, like a lamb, thrown into a den of
lions, and made an easy prey to them, and, no doubt, he was still
of the same mind as when he said, I am ready not only to be
bound, but to die at Jerusalem, to die so great a death.

III. We have here Paul rescued out of the
hands of his Jewish enemies by a Roman enemy. 1. Tidings were
brought of the tumult, and that the mob was up, to the chief
captain of the band, the governor of the castle, or, whoever he
was, the now commander-in-chief of the Roman forces that were
quartered in Jerusalem. Somebody that was concerned not for Paul,
but for the public peace and safety, gave this information to the
colonel, who had always a jealous and watchful eye upon these
tumultuous Jews, and he is the man that must be instrumental to
save Paul's life, when never a friend he had was capable of doing
him any service. 2. The tribune, or chief captain, got his forces
together with all possible expedition, and went to suppress the
mob: He took soldiers and centurions, and ran down
to them. Now at the feast, as at other such solemn times, the
guards were up, and the militia more within call than at other
times, and so he had them near at hand, and he ran down unto the
multitude; for at such times delays are dangerous. Sedition
must be crushed at first, lest it grow headstrong. 3. The very
sight of the Roman general frightened them from beating Paul; for
they knew they were doing what they could not justify, and were in
danger of being called in question for this day's uproar, as the
town clerk told the Ephesians. They were deterred from that by the
power of the Romans from which they ought to have been restrained
by the justice of God and the dread of his wrath. Note, God often
makes the earth to help the woman (Rev. xii. 16), and those to be a protection
to his people who yet have no affection for his people; they have
only a compassion for sufferers, and are zealous for the public
peace. The shepherd makes use even of his dogs for the defence of
his sheep. It is Streso's comparison here. See here how these
wicked people were frightened away at the very sight of the chief
captain; for the king that sitteth on the throne of judgment
scattereth away all evil with his eyes. The governor takes him
into custody. He rescued him, not out of a concern for him, because
he thought him innocent, but out of a concern for justice, because
he ought not to be put to death without trial; and because he knew
not how dangerous the consequence might be to the Roman government
of such tumultuous proceedings were not timely suppressed, nor what
such an outrageous people might do if once they knew their own
strength: he therefore takes Paul out of the hands of the mob into
the hands of the law (v.
33): He took him, and commanded him to be bound with
two chains, that the people might be satisfied he did not
intend to discharge him, but to examine him, for he demanded
of those who were so eager against him who he was, and what
he had done. This violent taking of him out of the hands of the
multitude, though there was all the reason in the world for it, yet
they laid to the charge of the chief captain as his crime
(ch. xxiv. 7): The
chief captain Lysias came with great violence, and took him out of
our hands, which refers to this rescue as appears by comparing
ch. xxiii. 27,
28, where the chief captain gives an account of it to
Felix.

IV. The provision which the chief captain
made, with much ado, to bring Paul to speak for himself. One had
almost as good enter into a struggle with the winds and the waves,
as with such a mob as was here got together; and yet Paul made a
shift to get liberty of speech among them.

1. There was no knowing the sense of the
people; for when the chief captain enquired concerning Paul, having
perhaps never heard of his name before (such strangers were the
great ones to the excellent ones of the earth, and affected to be
so), some cried one thing, and some another, among the
multitude; so that it was impossible for the chief captain to know
their mind, when really they knew not either one another's mind or
their own, when every one pretended to give the sense of the whole
body. Those that will hearken to the clamours of the multitude will
know nothing for a certainty, any more than the builders of Babel,
when their tongues were confounded.

2. There was no quelling the rage and fury
of the people; for when the chief captain commanded that Paul
should be carried into the castle, the tower of Antonia, where
the Roman soldiers kept garrison, near the temple, the soldiers
themselves had much ado to get him safely thither out of the noise,
the people were so violent (v.
35): When he came upon the stairs, leading up to
the castle, the soldiers were forced to take him up in their arms,
and carry him (which they might easily do, for he was a little man,
and his bodily presence weak), to keep him from the people, who
would have pulled him limb from limb if they could. When they could
not reach him with their cruel hands, they followed him with their
sharp arrows, even bitter words: They followed, crying, Away
with him, v. 36.
See how the most excellent persons and things are often run down by
a popular clamour. Christ himself was so, with, Crucify him,
crucify him, though they could not say what evil he had done.
Take him out of the land of the living (so the ancients
expound it), chase him out of the world.

3. Paul at length begged leave of the chief
captain to speak to him (v.
37): As he was to be led into the castle, with a
great deal of calmness and composedness in himself, and a great
deal of mildness and deference to those about him, he said unto
the chief captain, "May I speak unto thee? Will it be no
offence, nor construed as a breach of rule, if I give thee some
account of myself, since my persecutors can give no account of me?"
What a humble modest question was this! Paul knew how to speak to
the greatest of men, and had many a time spoken to his betters, yet
he humbly begs to leave to speak to this commander, and will not
speak till he has obtained leave: May I speak unto thee?

4. The chief captain tells him what notion
he had of him: Canst thou speak Greek? I am surprised to
hear thee speak a learned language; for, Art not thou that
Egyptian who made an uproar? The Jews made the uproar, and then
would have it thought that Paul had given them occasion for it, by
beginning first; for probably some of them whispered this in the
ear of the chief captain. See what false mistaken notions of good
people and good ministers many run away with, and will not be at
the pains to have the mistake rectified. It seems, there had lately
been an insurrection somewhere in that country, headed by an
Egyptian, who took on him to be a prophet. Josephus mentions this
story, that "an Egyptian raised a seditious party, promised to show
them the fall of the walls of Jerusalem from the mount of
Olives, and that they should enter the city upon the ruins."
The captain here says that he led out into the wilderness four
thousand men that were murderers—desperadoes, banditti,
raparees, cut-throats. What a degeneracy was there in the Jewish
nation, when there were found there so many that had such a
character, and could be drawn into such an attempt upon the public
peace! But Josephus says that "Felix the Roman president went out
against them, killed four hundred, and took two hundred prisoners,
and the rest were dispersed."—Antiq. 20. 171; Wars
2. 263. And Eusebius speaks of it, Hist. 2. 20. It happened
in the thirteenth year of Claudius, a little before those days,
about three years ago. The ringleader of this rebellion, it seems,
had made his escape, and the chief captain concluded that one who
lay under so great an odium as Paul seemed to lie under, and
against whom there was so great an outcry, could not be a criminal
of less figure than this Egyptian. See how good men are exposed to
ill-will by mistake.

5. Paul rectifies his mistake concerning
him, by informing him particularly what he was; not such a
vagabond, a scoundrel, a rake, as that Egyptian, who could give no
good account of himself. No: I am a man who is a Jew
originally, and no Egyptian—a Jew both by nation and religion;
I am of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, of honest parents and a
liberal education (Tarsus was a university), and, besides that,
a citizen of no mean city. Whether he means Tarsus or Rome
is not certain; they were neither of them mean cities, and he was a
freeman of both. Though the chief captain had put him under such an
invidious suspicion, that he was that Egyptian, he kept his temper,
did not break out into any passionate exclamations against the
times he lived in or the men he had to do with, did not render
railing for railing, but mildly denied the charge, and owned what
he was.

6. He humbly desired a permission from the
chief captain, whose prisoner he now was, to speak to the people.
He does not demand it as a debt, though he might have done so, but
sues for it as a favour, which he will be thankful for: I
beseech thee, suffer me to speak to the people. The chief
captain rescued him with no other design than to give him a fair
hearing. Now, to show that his cause needs no art to give it a
plausible colour, he desires he may have leave immediately to
defend himself; for it needed no more than to be set in a true
light; nor did he depend only on the goodness of his cause, but
upon the goodness and fidelity of his patron, and that promise of
his to all his advocates, that it should be given them in that
same hour what they should speak.

7. He obtained leave to plead his own
cause, for he needed not to have counsel assigned him, when the
Spirit of the Father was ready to dictate to him, Matt. x. 20. The chief captain
gave him license (v.
40), so that now he could speak with a good grace, and
with the more courage; he had, I will not say that favour, but that
justice, done him by the chief captain, which he could not obtain
from his countrymen the Jews; for they would not hear him, but the
captain would, though it were but to satisfy his curiosity. This
licence being obtained, (1.) The people were attentive to hear:
Paul stood on the stairs, which gave a little man like
Zaccheus some advantage, and consequently some boldness, in
delivering himself. A sorry pulpit it was, and yet better than
none; it served the purpose, though it was not, like Ezra's pulpit
of wood, made for the purpose. There he beckoned with the hand
unto the people, made signs to them to be quiet and to have a
little patience, for he had something to say to them; and so far he
gained his point that every one cried hush to his neighbour, and
there was made a profound silence. Probably the chief captain also
intimated his charge to all manner of people to keep silence; if
the people were not required to give audience, it was to no purpose
at all that Paul was allowed to speak. When the cause of Christ and
his gospel is to be pleaded, there ought to be a great silence,
that we may give the more earnest heed, and all little
enough. (2.) Paul addressed himself to speak, well assured that he
was serving the interest of Christ's kingdom as truly and
effectually as if he had been preaching in the synagogue: he
spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, that is, in their own
vulgar tongue, which was the language of their country, to which he
hereby owned not only an abiding relation, but an abiding
respect.